Cratosexual
A cratosexual is someone whose sexual attraction is influenced by another person's perceived power, particularly how that person's power compares with their own.
That does not necessarily mean being attracted to someone who is much more or less powerful. Someone might be attracted to a person they see as equally powerful, similarly accomplished, or capable of matching them. What matters is that perceptions of power play a role in the attraction.
“Power” can mean social status or authority, but it may also include qualities such as physical strength, intelligence, influence, confidence, or dominance.
In a kink context, cratosexual attraction may overlap with power-based play or relationships, but it is not inherently about D/s or unequal power. Two people who see each other as equals may still be attracted to one another partly because of each other's perceived power.
Origins of the Term
Cratosexual appears to have originated in the Spanish-speaking asexual community. A 2015 AVEN discussion quotes an earlier AVEN forum post in which a user says they coined the Spanish term "cratosexualidad." They described it as attraction that occurs when there is a large difference in power between two people, with intelligence and physical strength given as examples.
The exact date of the original post is unclear, but the term was in use by at least 2015.
The name likely comes from the Ancient Greek "kratos," meaning power, strength or dominion.
Related Terms
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